How can I control 6 WS2812B Light Strips that are in different locations

[2k05gt]

How can I control WS2812B Light Strips that are in different locations, I have back yard setup with a pool, Gazebo, Deck, and so on
the Gazebo has 3 WS2812B 16.4 ft Strips (900 Pixels) outlining the interior, the Deck has 4 WS2812B 16.4 ft Strips (1200 Pixels) outlining
the underside, the Bar has a WS2812B 3 ft Strip (144 Pixels) under the bar top. the BBQ Gazebo has 1 WS2812B 16.4 ft Strips (300 Pixels)
outlining the interior.

anyway I was thinking about using the ESP8266 Mini D1 WiFi Module to link them together so that they all are in sync
when playing music, or just doing a light show, or a romantic color.

I picked up this controller and I was wondering is I can
use the Arduino to to get the DATA out and transmit it to other light strips.

I know the Arduino uses WLED but this controller is Alexa /google compatible and it has a mic to pickup music to control the lights.

any thoughts, Ideas or suggestions?

Also I was thinking about my Malibu yard lights. I wonder if i can make the 10 Watt RGB Individually addressable through WiFi?


I know that these are powered by a 12 volt AC Transformer but I can put in a bridge rectifier to change it to DC.
they may already have RGB Malibu Lights that have that circuit in it. Just an Idea....

[MartinMueller2003]

I would use ESP32 modules with built in SD card readers for all of the strips. Then use ESPixelStick V4 (aka Unify) software. With that combination you have Alexa/Google/FPP support for 1000 pixels per board and you are show ready.

[2k05gt]

I can only find this card ESP32 LoRa SD Card

or This one ESP32 ESP-WROOM-32 SD Card



ESPPixelStick-Master ??

in the Readme for ESPPixleStick, it says to use a Forkineye ESPixelStick - Wireless DMX Pixel Controller Kit with the ESP8266

[MartinMueller2003]

The software is at: https://github.com/forkineye/ESPixelStick/tree/unify

I use the LoLin ESP32 pro. That external antenna really pushes up the price. I suppose you get better range using that. Since you do not need a lot of IO, this would work as well and is half the price:

https://www.amazon.com/ACROBOTIC-ESP...4989801&sr=8-3

And this is the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Origi...989801&sr=8-13

[2k05gt]

After I unzip the files into the Arduino Library folder and run the software I get these errors,

Invalid library found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\ESPixel Stick: no headers files (.h) found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\ESPixel Stick-unify
Invalid library found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\arduino-esp32-master: no headers files (.h) found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\arduino-esp32-master
Invalid library found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\Arduino-master: no headers files (.h) found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\Arduino-master
Invalid library found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\esp32fs : no headers files (.h) found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\esp32fs
Invalid library found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\ESP8266 LittleFS: no headers files (.h) found in C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\ESP8266 LittleFS

[MartinMueller2003]

The one thing missing in the readme is telling people to use the Arduino IDE to download the board support packages using the library manager.

Your error seems to be where you have located the software files. It looks like you cloned the repository into:

C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\ESPixel Stick-unify

when it should be (note no space in the name and capitalization is important):

C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\ESPixelStick

And the manually downloaded libraries need to be in

C:\Users\scott\Documents\Arduino\libraries\Library Name

[2k05gt]

The software is at: https://github.com/forkineye/ESPixelStick/tree/unify

I use the LoLin ESP32 pro. That external antenna really pushes up the price. I suppose you get better range using that. Since you do not need a lot of IO, this would work as well and is half the price:

https://www.amazon.com/ACROBOTIC-ESP...4989801&sr=8-3

And this is the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Origi...989801&sr=8-13

I ordered the ones you use, Any good sources on how to get it setup?

[2k05gt]

I removed the directories and started over again with the new results,


ESPixelStick:29:30: fatal error: src/ESPixelStick.h: No such file or directory
#include "src/ESPixelStick.h"
^
compilation terminated.
exit status 1
src/ESPixelStick.h: No such file or directory

So where is the app looking for this file?
I copied the ESPixelStick/src folder to Arduino/libraries/ESPixelStick/src

or do I need to load the ESPixelStick-unify using Arduino IDE and download the ESPixelStick board support packages using the library manager?
I tried this but I do not have the correct link.

[angus40]

You will need to paste this URL in preferences /additional boards manager in the Arduino IDE
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/es...p32_index.json
Then you will be able to find the support packages via tools/boards manager .

Also if you open an example sketch check the path used by the IDE .

[MartinMueller2003]

Lets step back a moment because it seems you missed an important detail someplace:

1. install the Arduino IDE and tell it your default workbook folder is documents\Arduino
2. in ...\Documents\Arduino create two sub directories
   
   • ...\Documents\Arduino\Libraries
   • ...\Documents\Arduino\Tools
   
   
3. Download / Clone the libraries identified in the readme into sub directories in the ...\Arduino\libraries directory
4. Download the littleFS utility into the Tools directory
5. Clone ESPixelStick-Unify into ...\Documents\Arduino\ESPixelStick
   
   • NOTE: The capitalization and spelling
   • ALL of the files and subdirectories must be present (your error indicates you did this step incorrectly)
   
   
6. Connect your LoLin D32 PRO to the computer using a USB cable (not the Serial Port the gets opened)
7. In the ESPixelStick directory double click on the ESPixelStick.ino file
8. In the Arduino IDE click: File->Preferences
9. Make sure Sketchbook location is set to point at your Arduino directory (note espixelstick dir)
10. Set the following into the "Additional Boards Manager URLs" field:
    
    • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/es...com_index.json
    
    
11. Exit the preferences menu
12. Click on "Tools->Board->ESP32->LOLIN D32 PRO
13. Next click on Tools->PSRAM->enabled
14. Set the port on which the LoLin is connected: Tools->port->YouPortNumberGoesHere
15. Click Sketch->Upload - This will build and upload to the LoLin device

Let us know what errors you get. The rest of the errors will most likely be caused by not downloading ALL of the libraries described in the README file and putting them in the right place.